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American Pastime: Smiths Strive to Visit All 30 MLB Parks 

A couple smiles with a baseball park and jumbo screen behind them.
Jeff and Naomi Smith of New York-based Hometown Rent To Own enjoy traveling to visit MLB ballparks. 

For Jeff Smith, Co-Owner of Your Hometown Rent To Own Inc. dba Hometown Rent To Own, and his wife and Hometown’s Office Manager, Naomi, ‘tis the season – baseball season, that is! 

Every spring and summer, the Smiths hit the road in pursuit of a couple’s bucket-list item: catching ballgames in person at each of the 30 Major League Baseball (MLB) parks around the country (plus one in Canada!). 

“We both thoroughly enjoy live baseball,” says Smith. “The ballpark is someplace we can connect with each other, with nature, and with the surroundings. I find the buzz of the ballpark both exciting and calming at the same time.” 

To date, the Smiths have visited 11 MLB parks: 

  • Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri – St. Louis Cardinals 
  • Citizens Bank Park, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Philadelphia Phillies 
  • Kauffman Stadium, in Kansas City, Missouri – Kansas City Royals 
  • National Park in Washington, D.C. – Washington Nationals 
  • Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland – Baltimore Orioles 
  • PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Pittsburgh Pirates 
  • Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio – Cleveland Guardians 
  • Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario – Toronto Blue Jays 
  • Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia – Atlanta Braves 
  • Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois – Chicago Cubs 
  • Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York – New York Yankees 

Favorite Ballparks Offer Beauty, Vibes 

A jumbo screen at a ballpark glows brightly, topped with two large lighted cardinals and a big lighted Budweiser logo.
Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, home of the St. Louis Cardinals. 
Dozens of people sit, stand, and walk around a two-story ballpark entrance topped with a Citizens Bank Park sign.
The Smiths join Phillies fans at the entrance to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 
View from the crowd of a baseball field with players in position, a jumbo screen, and a beautiful pink and purple sunset behind it all.
The Smiths caught a game and a bonus spectacular sunset at Progressive Park in Cleveland, Ohio. 

The Smiths, who live in New York, are not surprisingly bigtime Yankees fans, and Jeff actually visited the original Yankee Stadium, which was demolished in 2010. He deems it his all-time favorite ballpark, noting “you could feel the nostalgia the minute you walked in.” 

But among the 11 existing parks he and Naomi have visited, Smith loves Pittsburgh’s PNC for the view. 

“The skyline views from behind home plate or along the third-base side are unrivaled,” he says. “If you happen to catch a game on a night when they have fireworks, you can see the reflection off the glass of the skyscrapers. It’s truly stunning.” 

Smith also likes Rogers Centre in Toronto for the city landmark that towers over the ballpark. 

“If you can go on a night when the roof is open, it’s really cool,” notes Smith. “The CN Tower looms over 1,800 feet in the background while you watch the game. It’s pretty neat.” 

A jumbo screen topped with a gold crown shows a split screen of the Chicago White Sox logo and the Kansas City Royals logo showing over a bright green baseball field and a few players on a bright, clear day.
The Smiths caught a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. 
View from one side of a crowded ballpark, looking up at a huge, slim needle-like building towering above.
The 1,815-foot CN Tower towers over Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario. 
A stone building with three archways and a sign above them reading Yankee Stadium. Flags above the sign mark the top of the ballpark.
The entrance to Jeff and Naomi Smith’s hometown team ballpark, Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York.

Ballpark Traditions Make Warm Memories 

Wherever they go, the Smiths always walk the whole concourse of the park, and search for food unique to the location. During one memorably chilly game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, they had to buy more than just Bao Wow Dogs and Rami sandwiches. 

“We went in May 2018 for our 16-year anniversary,” remembers Smith. “There was a three-hour delay, and we had to buy hot chocolate, winter hats, and warm blankets – in May!” 

The Smiths are still planning their ballpark visits for 2026, but Jeff says he’s especially excited to see Boston’s Fenway Park – along with the other 18 MLB destinations. 

“Seeing all 30 ballparks would be a unique milestone,” he muses. “I realize not many folks have the means to do so, and God has blessed us with that ability, so I’d be humbled to be able to achieve our goal.” 

A large, red, vintage sign up on a big stone building reads Wrigley Field | Home of Chicago Cubs. Flags above the sign mark the top of the ballpark.
The entrance to iconic Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, home of the Chicago Cubs. 
View from the crowd of a vibrant green baseball field with a full and dynamic city skyline behind it at dusk.
The Smiths love the stunning skyline view at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
View from the crowd of a sunny baseball field with jumbo screen and a blue sky and buildings behind it.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland, home of the Baltimore Orioles. 

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Mike Lewis

Central Properties dba Premier Rental-Purchase

Mike Lewis is a Premier Rental Purchase franchisee with multiple stores and currently serves as Vice President of Operations. With 33 years of experience in the rent-to-own industry, he has spent the past 20 years working closely with franchisee owners and previously spent 12 years in Corporate RTO, gaining a strong foundation in the business.

For the past five years, Mike has been sharing his knowledge by teaching managers and franchisees at the company’s Training Center.

Outside of work, he enjoys time with his family, kids, and grandkids, and appreciates the simple things in life – especially riding his Harley Davidson with the sun on his face. If you know, you know!

Lauren Talicska

Arona Corporation dba Arona Home Essentials

Lauren Talicska is an experienced multi-channel marketing specialist and the Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Arona Home Essentials. She has found her home in the RTO community, supporting stores in branding, growth, and increasing traffic.

You may recognize Lauren as a former RTO vendor, including her time as a partner for Nationwide RentDirect, or her previous participation in the APRO Vendor Advisory Committee. Lauren calls Columbus, Ohio, home and spends her workday crafting and executing marketing promotions from inception to realization, all while supporting the branding and social media needs of all the Arona stores in 12 states (plus Puerto Rico!).

Charles Smitherman

APRO

Charles Smitherman, JD, PhD, CAE, became CEO of APRO in 2023, bringing years of legal and executive experience in the rent-to-own industry. 

Prior to joining the association, Charles served as COO, General Counsel, and Vice President of PTS Financial Services, where he played an active role in the rent-to-own industry by representing his company through PTS’s club program offering with APRO member dealers. Charles is an attorney with two decades of experience across a wide variety of areas, including RTO, consumer financial services, antitrust, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, franchise law, and privacy law. Following law school at the University of Georgia, Charles earned a Master of Legal Studies and PhD in Law from the University of Oxford in England.

Charles is credentialed as a Certified Association Executive (CAE) with the American Society of Association Executives, a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) with the International Franchise Association, and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals. As APRO’s sixth CEO in its 45-year history, he brings a collaborative, member-focused approach to association leadership, emphasizing transparency, advocacy, and value creation. Outside of work, Charles is an active ultra runner and open water swimmer.

Mike Kays

Ashley Furniture Industries

As VP of Rental Sales for Ashley Furniture Industries, Mike thrives on building relationships with our RTO industry veterans, and helping businesses grow through new product, new marketing, and new supply chain options.

Mike works to leverage a wide breadth of relationships and influence, intimate knowledge of market trends, and unique knowledge of what RTO dealers need from a supplier to be successful.

The saying goes that a high tide raises all boats, and our goal is to leverage the world’s largest furniture manufacturer to drive the continued growth of the RTO industry and all the suppliers.

Mike Tissot

Countryside Rentals Inc., dba Rent-2-Own

Mike grew up in the rent-to-own industry under the guidance of his father, former APRO President and RTO legend Darrell Tissot. For nearly 25 years, Mike’s innovative leadership has helped expand the family business to more than 40 stores across Ohio and Kentucky while also shaping the industry as a whole.

He has served as President of the Ohio Rental Dealers Association, an APRO board member and Treasurer, and President and Treasurer of the TRIB Group. His contributions have earned him the APRO President’s Award of Excellence and the title of APRO Rental Dealer of the Year.

Outside of RTO, Mike enjoys time at the lake house or in Orange Beach, Alabama, with his girlfriend, Angela Strong McCool. A passionate Cincinnati Reds fan, he rarely misses a game, whether watching or listening alongside his parents. He also takes every opportunity to visit Arizona, where his daughter is currently attending Arizona State University.